James a



k(No Model.)

- J. A. oNBILL.

UOMBIVNED; GAS AND 'ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE'. l No. 503;'912. Patente-d Aug! v2,2, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JAMES A. ONEILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN C. HOLLINGS, OF SAME PLAGE.

COMBINED GAS AND ELECTRIC-LIGHT FIXTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,912, dated August 22, 1893. Application iiled October 29, 1892. Serial No. 450,319. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern..-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. ONEILL, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in a Combined Gas and Electric-Light Fixture, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a speciiication, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

Chandeliers and brackets for lights are now frequently provided with means whereby they may be used for either gas or electric lighting, and it is necessary to provide a coupling which is adapted to regulate the flow of the gas or the electric current singly or jointly, and it is a great desideratum that such coupling should be simple in construction, easily applied, and efficient in its operation.

This invention has for its object the productionof a combined gas and electric light fixture which includes a coupling consisting of few parts, and which is adapted to regulate the ilow of either gas or electricity simultaneously or separately, and which may be readily taken apart and put together again without the employment of skilled labor when mere cleaning is necessary, and which will present a neat and pleasing appearance to the eye, while being most efficient in operation.

Figure 1, in section, represents a coupling embodying my invention, the section being taken on avertical plane extended longitudinally through the coupling. Fig. 2 is an under side view of one part of the circuit closer; and Fig. 3 isa top view partly in section showing the movable member of the circuit closer.

I have herein represented the coupling as composed of a casing A, preferably of cast metal having threaded side openings to receive the combined gas and wire conduits to be described, the said casing being cast with a solid portion a, through which extend the gas passages 19,19, the lower portion of said casing being hollowed out as at b2 to receive the actuating vparts of the coupling, access being had to said hollow or cored-out portion h2` by means of the removable cap or closure 7*, preferably threaded, as shown in Fig. 1. The solid portion a of the coupling has, as herein shown, a conical seat to receive the correspondingly-shaped plug c of the gas cock having therethrough a gas passage b', the said cock being held in place in usual manner bya screw c'. The shank c2 of the gas cock is reduced in diameter and is surrounded by a sleeve d, preferably flanged at one end as at d2 to receive thereon an insulating plate e', herein shown as secured thereto by screws 2, 2, said insulating plate as best shown in Fig. 3 having secured thereto a metal contact segment tx held in place by screws 1, 1, entering the insulating material e', but not passing therethrough, thus insulating the contact segment from the sleeve. A pin or projection g is secured to the lower end of the shank, and between said shank and sleeve I have placed a spring s, one end of the spring bearing upon said pin or projection and the other end bearing upon the inturned portion of the flange d2, thus normally keeping the sleeve in its raised position as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Figs. l and 3, I have provided the insulating plate e with diametrically-opposite recesses h, h, and h', 72.', to co-operate withapin p extended through the upper part of the shank c2 of the gas cock. The sleeve d and its attached insulation carrying the' contact segment tx, constitute the movable member of the circuit closer.

I have secured to the solid portion a. ofthe casing a preferably annular insulating plate e by screws 3, 3and have secured the ends of the line wire Z to terminals t, t', said terminals projecting beyond the face of said ring e, as shown in Fig. 1, and adapted to be brought in contact with the segment tx at the proper time. The return wire Z passes around the insulation e and is extended through the wire receiving section t' of the conduit B, the said sectionv also receiving the wires Z. The insulating ring e and the contact terminals t, t', constitute the fixed member of the circuit closer.

As shown in Fig. l, the gas cock is turned in such manner that the passage b therein connects the gas passages b, b, of the coupling, and the flow of the gas through the section vl of the conduitB is unimpeded, and the contact segment t* is in such position that both ot' the terminals bear upon the same, and

IOO

By rotating the gas cock one quarter of a turn the gas is shut od and the electric circuit `is opened by the corresponding movement lof the circuit, and the movable member is held in such turned position by the pin penrt'ering f :zo-

the segment tx, it receiving its movement throughy the pin p and'. notches or recesses hj. `5

Consequentlyit will be'seen'thatfthe gas and electric current may be turned on or on simultaneously by the rotation of the gas cock in usual manner.

If it is desired to turn the gas on and the electric light olf simultaneously, or vice versa, the movable' member of' the circuitcloser is= drawn down against thepressure ofthe spring,-

s and given a quarter turn. This movement carries the contact segment t* ont of range of the two terminals, and consequently breaks the recesses'h. When in this position, rotas tion of thefco'ck will turn the gas onand the electricity off, or thev electricity onv andthe gas' on, as desired'. I 1

It itshouldbe advisable to useithe coup,

ling for gas alone forany len-gtlr of time', itis only necessary to turn the movable memberv o f the circuity closer until thecon-tafct. segment tx assumes a position. diametrically opposite to that shown in Fig. 3,.when rotation of the gas'` cockv will' only affect' the' flow-of the" gast' thev electric circuit remaining continuously broken. v. Y

Sheuldit be desirable to' usethecioupling for electric light alone, the cock maybe given a quarter' turn from tlhe position shownj` in Fig. 1 and the electric circuit opened and closedv by rotation. of themovable member ofthecirc'uitclo's'er on the shan-k c2; without turning. E; the latter;

The sleeved i'sfsupported `by and free to rotate in the cap or' closure f, and to' permit itsreadyfinsertion therein I have. shown in- Fig. l' as detachably secured to the' lowerend of said sleeve al threaded ring d', saidv ring also constituting the hand-piece byrwhich to a'lte'r'the position of said sleevewitlr relation to the gas cock asfhas been described.

When it is desired to take the coupling apart for any-purpose, suchi as forl cleaning,

it is only necessary to remove the screw c, vfrom. the end' of thegascock, and tov unscre'w the :apl` or closure f, whichl will bringwith' it the `plug and 'the movable member of' the cir'-V cuit closer bodily, the opening in the insulating ring e being large enough to freel'yadmilt the conical end of the'gas cock.

" of gasi'nt'o; the cored-out portion Wiet the cas` Y l; have shown herein the conduits B-aslraving .two compartments or sections v73 and t" for the electric wires and gasY respectively, the partition between the two sections being so located asftol eiectually prevent any escape ingA, as said; partition abutsagainst the-solide be removed from the closure f by unscrewing the ring or' hand-piece d', and the gas cock and sleeve may be separated when necessary by simply removing the pin g and the key la from the shank c2.

Thefscrewl c maybe: provided with the --usualV notchtoco-operate with the pin on the casing, to limit the amount of -rotation of the gas cock, or such rotation may be limited in any other usual or well-known manner. The spring s constantly presses the sleeve d in an upward direction, so that one or the other g. pair. oi?` notchesh-or h' will engage the pin p. I donot desire to restrict myself to the eX- l act construction or arrangement 'of parts herein shown, as the same may be variedwithout Y departing from myinvention.

I cl'ai'rn-` r l 1. A couplinjgfor gas and electric light' fixv'j tures comprisinga cas-ingprovided with a "ibincd wiftl'r a movablev gascock te comperato j with said passage,and a circuitclcser carried by and movable independent of said cock, whereby the gas and the electric current are scribed.

i y 2;. A coupling'for gas-and'electricflight iiki i tures comprising aV casing provided with a j gas passage', and' electric circuit wires,v comfr bined with a n'row'fable,Y gasf cock to co-operate l' with said passage, a: circuit closerA normally m'ovable'with said cock', and adetachazble connection between said cock and circuiti closer, whereby the'- gas and the elfectriccnrrent may tbe regulated simultaneorrsly or independg ently,fsubstantially as described.

3. In aff combination gasand electric light :-1ixtu=re; a coupling provided with a gasI pasfsa-ge,and terminals for: the electric circuit within and insulated from the; casing, com- Ibined with' agas cockt supported in the casfi'ng, a-circuit closer to" col-operate"- with said terminal-s and norm-ally m'ovable'wit'lr 'said cock, and mea-nsfei-"disconnecting said cock i and circuit closer, substantially asdescribed. is 4. In acombinati'on gas and electric light l fixture; acoupling havinga gas passage and electric circuit terminals',combined with a gascock, a circuit closer tol cci-operate with fthe' said terminals and yieldingly supported fon said gas cock, and a lec'ki'ng projection fand recessestonormally connect said cock 'and closer to rotate together,substantiallyas i described.

l 5. A coupling forges and electric light fixturescomprising' aI partially hollow casing fhavin'ga; gaspass'age, aseat, and* circuit terf in-inals held in the hollow portion', combined jwith'agas cock held in 'said seat, acircuit 6 A coupling for-gas andV electriclligh-t lixtures comprising a partially liollowfcasing,

gas passage and electric'v circuit wires, com

regulated independently, substantially as dei IOO IIO

closer longitudinally movableon' the shank cfsaid cock, and means toconnect said cock l and circuit closer to rotate in unison, sub- 1 stantially as described.

y The insulating pieces e, e', may bereadily replaced when necessary, and thesleeve may circuit terminals secured within and insulated from said casing, a circuit closer to cooperate therewith, and a closure for said casing in which the circuit closer is rotatably and longitudinally movable, combined with means to rotate the circuit closer, substan tially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES A. ONEILL.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, JOHN C. EDWARDS. 

